By now, you have probably seen the commercials for the Tonal, a wall mounted cable machine that is seriously shaking up the home gym game. We are here to tell you, it’s the real deal. I am by nature a skeptic. The Tonal is no exception to my skepticism. If you are anywhere near my age, you probably remember the Nordic Track. The home cross country skier that took he country by storm in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I didn’t want to spend hard-earned money on a piece of exercise equipment that would soon become nothing more than a very expensive laundry rack. Well… the Tonal did not suffer this fate and I am going to tell you why.
Sara and I were both college athletes. Working out has been a part of our lives and routine since we were young. But transitioning from practices and competition to simply maintaining a reasonable level of physical fitness did not come easy for either of us. Careers, 3 children and in general… life, easily get prioritized over working out. We are not alone in this dilemma. The struggle for time and life balance plagues most American families. One of our goals at DLW is to share the products, tools and routines that have added to our “balance.”
There is almost too much to write about here. So we want to focus on the features and benefits that really sold us. The same items that keep us going back to our basement to sneak in those workouts.
Variety of Movements
If you have dumbbells, a smith machine, some sort of universal gym, whatever the case may be… sell it all! There is NOTHING you can’t do on the Tonal. Bench, dumbbell curls, barbell dead dead lift, decline fly, etc. etc. etc. The movements are endless. 280+ to be exact and that is just movements on the Tonal itself.
I like variety in a workout. I might want to do a barbell bench press one time, but then do a dumbbell bench the next and mix in a cable fly. These are things you almost have to do at a gym. Where else do you have a barbell rack, a set of dumbbells and a cable machine? Well now, you have it all in the Tonal. And, it’s legit. Many of the handle moves (that simulate dumbbells) have a full range of motion that are even superior to dumbbells themselves.
Efficiency and Effectiveness
First, effectiveness. What sets Tonal apart is weight and resistance through a full range of motion. Tonal can provide 100% resistance through 100% of your range of motion. That means that your workout is effective. You get the maximum result from your effort. That makes the workout efficient. Get more from each movement. Get more for the time you put in. Additionally, Tonal has 3 key settings that can be applied to each lift or movement.
1. Chains Mode – Much like adding chains to a barbell, as you perform a movement the weight increases as you progress. The weight reaches its peak at the peak of your movement and then decreases as you return to the bottom of your movement.
2. Eccentric Mode – This one is the kicker. The power is in the negative. The weight lightens up on the first part of your movement, but then increases the weight for your return. Commonly used in lifts like bench press and lat pulldown. Your focus shifts to the return and works your muscles in a completely different way. This is almost impossible without a partner. With Tonal, this type of workout is something you can do on your own and you can set percentage in which the weight increases on the negative. That’s cool!
3. Burnout – Another cool feature. Say you want to do 20 reps on bicep curl and just go for burnout. Tonal can sense when you are reaching fatigue and will start to decrease weight so you can finish out your reps.
Talk about variety. It’s these features that are unmatched by any fitness equipment. 280+ movements, chains mode, eccentric mode, burnout. If you get bored from your routine or you stop seeing the gains you hope to see from your lifts, Tonal is the answer.
Conclusion
We haven’t even talked about the coaches on Tonal. We haven’t touched on the programs that Tonal offers. There are 3, 4 and 5 week programs for everyone regardless of age, fitness level and physical goals. I started this write-up by talking about my experience with working out and my own goals for physical fitness. What I have learned over the last 3 years with Tonal is this; Despite your physical goals, what age you are or what your current fitness level is, everyone will benefit from Tonal. 3 years already. I am not bored, I am constantly challenged and the minute I find myself in a rut, I simply switch it up. I look for a program from Tonal that challenges me to do things I haven’t done before. Maybe it’s not what I am comfortable doing and its not familiar, but its getting me out of my comfort zone. That is where I find the benefit.
In another post we will talk more about the programs that Tonal offers. We will demonstrate some of the movements and show you how the coaches really focus on your safety and ensuring that you get the most from whatever workout you choose to embark upon. More to come on Tonal from DLW soon…
If you would like to explore Tonal more, you can visit the Tonal website here: https://fbuy.io/tonal/ab2ggbfa
We encourage you to watch the videos and see the demonstrations. If you are interested in purchasing Tonal, click the link above for pricing and purchase options. As always, if you have questions or would like for us to elaborate on any of the features and benefits Tonal has to offer, leave a comment below and we will respond. You can always message us on Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/designinglifewell/